SLUniverse Forums

Derek Tafler · 08-19-2008, 06:03 AM

I can say quite honestly that SL is the most immersive virtual environment I have come across in the 10 years of my internet life, which makes it almost impossible to avoid being enraptured by everything.

Have other members (ie residents) suffered the emotional highs and lows that can arise through the interaction with other residents? Personally, I have experienced true joy, anger, despair, inspiration, and even heartbreak, and lots of other sensations that I never expected to encounter.

Am I unusual in this, or is this a common theme? Sorry if this is an old topic.

* Also posted in SL forums *

Aodhan McDunnough · 08-19-2008, 06:07 AM

Wherever there is interaction, there is emotion.

People can feel emotions even in a stand-alone single-player game.

Whether the world is real or not, the emotions are real.

What is important is to know how we deal with those emotions and attachments.

FlipperPA Peregrine · 08-19-2008, 06:10 AM

You're not alone. While I think that a lot of people use the in-world drama for role-play due to the high level of immersion to excess (zOMG SHE DUMPED ME!), there's no way you can't get attached to the friends you make in SL. At SLCC each year, we get to see it again and again: people who've only been friends in SL meet in RL for the first time, and the transition is seemless. It is one of the great things LL has accomplished, and I can't quite put my finger on why it works so well. The whole is greater than the sum of the technical parts.

Regards,

-Flip

Ned Easterwood · 08-19-2008, 07:05 AM

Oh yeah - it's there. It can't not be - nor would you want it to.

I've fallen in love and had my heart broken. I've had friends ease my pain by just being there.
It's the whole range of human emotions.

Tya · 08-19-2008, 07:12 AM

if you are unable to feel any type of emotion in SL, then you are a cold steel box.

second life becomes an extension of many peoples' first life.

Circle Widdershins · 08-19-2008, 07:13 AM

All of that ^^^^

I sometimes feel that it's even more emotionally intense than rl - maybe because we're not distracted in sl by all the peripheral (and physical) stuff we have in rl. The focus is purely on the cerebral and emotional for many people.

Maybe that's part of it's addictive quality. We can be our best person in this medium - carrying less baggage from our past. Or not - people make their own choices.

Tya · 08-19-2008, 07:19 AM

i have always said that Second Life is a look into the human mind.

Its the human mind in 3d form

how can you not be touched?

Aodhan McDunnough · 08-19-2008, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tya

i have always said that Second Life is a look into the human mind.

Its the human mind in 3d form

how can you not be touched?

This one just made me go oooooooh.

Vertigo Paris · 08-19-2008, 07:26 AM

When I first came to SL, I had the (un)fortunate opportunity to meet someone who grew to be my best friend. We would hang out all the time, we had alot of the same dreams and scars. It was just so awesome to find someone to connect with and it bled into RL. Phone messages, hesitant plans to meet each other, all that jazz.

This went on for about a year before I was 'dumped' for someone else. There was some drama as I tried to understand what had happened but I eventually just walked away from all if it. A part of me still mourns that lost relationship but it also taught me alot so in a way, I am thankful for it.

Anything that teaches us something is never futile, though I am sure we could all go without the varaious levels of pain that come with said lesson.

Tya · 08-19-2008, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aodhan McDunnough

This one just made me go oooooooh.

can you image how many psychiatrists and mental experts are in SL studying? to them is like the mind became book, they now have access to.

Aodhan McDunnough · 08-19-2008, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tya

can you image how many psychiatrists and mental experts are in SL studying? the them is like the mind became book, they now have access to.

With about 54000 mental patients logged on concurrently they must be having a field day.

Vertigo Paris · 08-19-2008, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aodhan McDunnough

With about 54000 mental patients logged on concurrently they must be having a field day.

Is it really that low?

Mereille · 08-19-2008, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Circle Widdershins

All of that ^^^^

I sometimes feel that it's even more emotionally intense than rl - maybe because we're not distracted in sl by all the peripheral (and physical) stuff we have in rl. The focus is purely on the cerebral and emotional for many people.

Maybe that's part of it's addictive quality. We can be our best person in this medium - carrying less baggage from our past. Or not - people make their own choices.

I, for one, was totally unprepared for how intensely my emotions are felt in sl.

Tya · 08-19-2008, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aodhan McDunnough

With about 54000 mental patients logged on concurrently they must be having a field day.

thanks for the laugh i sooooooooo needed it rofl

Roxie Marten · 08-19-2008, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tya

can you image how many psychiatrists and mental experts are in SL studying? the them is like the mind became book, they now have access to.

I have always felt there was a woman in a pith helmet and khaki shorts with a clip board hiding behind the bushes. She takes notes and comments on what she sees

"I will call the large one with bat wings Bobo for he amuses me"

Rox

Derek Tafler · 08-19-2008, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mereille

I, for one, was totally unprepared for how intensely my emotions are felt in sl.

To a point, I was the same. However, I came across from a forum environment, where I had vowed never to become so intense with anyone again (famous last words?), so I was a bit surprised to find myself playing out the old scenarios all over again, except this time in technicolour 3D with stereo sound haha.

This time round however, I have had experience and maturity (hopefully) on my side, so when things go awry, I accepted the emotional issues, but left the drama out, other than immediate 'grrr's' and stamping of feet ! ie I have tried to be proactive rather than reactive, a volunteer rather than a victim, and use the experiences to a positive end.

caroline ra · 08-19-2008, 07:52 AM

I tend not to get emotionally involved with ppl in SL (RL emotional involvements are complicated enough for me to deal with). I am totally wrapped up in my SL textures however and was devastated when they were 'lost' by SL recently...in fact way more distressed than I would have been had someone dumped me/cheated on me etc.

http://www.psychtests.com/tests/iq/e...r2_access.html

08-19-2008, 06:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
Derek Tafler Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Coventry UK Posts: 42 SL Join Date: 30-April-08 My Mood:	Emotional Involvement in SL I can say quite honestly that SL is the most immersive virtual environment I have come across in the 10 years of my internet life, which makes it almost impossible to avoid being enraptured by everything. Have other members (ie residents) suffered the emotional highs and lows that can arise through the interaction with other residents? Personally, I have experienced true joy, anger, despair, inspiration, and even heartbreak, and lots of other sensations that I never expected to encounter. Am I unusual in this, or is this a common theme? Sorry if this is an old topic. * Also posted in SL forums *

08-19-2008, 06:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
Aodhan McDunnough exp(ln(Gearhead)) ti gnivol dna ykeeG Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Philippines Posts: 3,615 Beer Tapper Gone Wild Champion! SL Join Date: March 28, 2006 Business: Aodhan's Forge SLShopper Ads: 2 My Mood:	Wherever there is interaction, there is emotion. People can feel emotions even in a stand-alone single-player game. Whether the world is real or not, the emotions are real. What is important is to know how we deal with those emotions and attachments. __________________ We can't get rid of Landbots but we can stop the damage. VOTE this proposal on the Jira. Current votes: 71 http://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-2905 Kontours Classic 1-prim chair. Sculpted, menu controlled http://www.sluniverse.com/php/shop/s...ct=786&cat=500 Last edited by Aodhan McDunnough; 08-19-2008 at 06:13 AM.

08-19-2008, 06:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
FlipperPA Peregrine Evil Incarnate! Recursion is beautiful! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 5,204 SL Join Date: 2003-11-14 Business: Peregrine Salon SLShopper Ads: 1 My Mood:	You're not alone. While I think that a lot of people use the in-world drama for role-play due to the high level of immersion to excess (zOMG SHE DUMPED ME!), there's no way you can't get attached to the friends you make in SL. At SLCC each year, we get to see it again and again: people who've only been friends in SL meet in RL for the first time, and the transition is seemless. It is one of the great things LL has accomplished, and I can't quite put my finger on why it works so well. The whole is greater than the sum of the technical parts. Regards, -Flip __________________ Peregrine Salon: Flip & Jenn's thang.

08-19-2008, 07:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ned Easterwood Mereille's Guy Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Detroit, Mi. Posts: 9,102 SL Join Date: 5/4/2007 My Mood:	Oh yeah - it's there. It can't not be - nor would you want it to. I've fallen in love and had my heart broken. I've had friends ease my pain by just being there. It's the whole range of human emotions. __________________ Ned Take 'er easy for all the sinners of the world, dude. Abide. And amen. http://www.dudeism.com/ My Unitarian Jihad Name is: The Claymore of Loving Kindness Unitarian Jihad

08-19-2008, 07:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
Tya Prim Whore Wears Cherry Chapstick Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,397 SL Join Date: August 2003 Business: Pixel Mode [PM] Blog Entries: 2 SLShopper Ads: 57 My Mood:	if you are unable to feel any type of emotion in SL, then you are a cold steel box. second life becomes an extension of many peoples' first life. __________________ PM Website \| PM Blog \| Tya's Flickr \| PM @ SLEX \| PM @ Onrez

08-19-2008, 07:13 AM	#6 (permalink)
Circle Widdershins Prim Fancier Is watching Schroedinger's cat... O.O .. Huh - boring experiment - nothing is happening....... Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Straya Posts: 1,187 SL Join Date: January, 2007 Business: Treasures My Mood:	All of that ^^^^ I sometimes feel that it's even more emotionally intense than rl - maybe because we're not distracted in sl by all the peripheral (and physical) stuff we have in rl. The focus is purely on the cerebral and emotional for many people. Maybe that's part of it's addictive quality. We can be our best person in this medium - carrying less baggage from our past. Or not - people make their own choices. __________________ I have tortured tiny prims for my own amusement and sell the results at my shop: Treasures ~ Jewelry by Circle. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Star%20Scythe/208/179/752

08-19-2008, 07:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
Tya Prim Whore Wears Cherry Chapstick Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,397 SL Join Date: August 2003 Business: Pixel Mode [PM] Blog Entries: 2 SLShopper Ads: 57 My Mood:	i have always said that Second Life is a look into the human mind. Its the human mind in 3d form how can you not be touched?

08-19-2008, 07:26 AM	#9 (permalink)
Vertigo Paris The Chaotic RadioRadio DJ Now Hiring Minions Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Displaced Bostonian living in hotter than Hades Texas! Posts: 3,931 SL Join Date: 11/22/2006 Blog Entries: 1 XBOX Leaderboard: 22^nd SLShopper Ads: 2 My Mood:	When I first came to SL, I had the (un)fortunate opportunity to meet someone who grew to be my best friend. We would hang out all the time, we had alot of the same dreams and scars. It was just so awesome to find someone to connect with and it bled into RL. Phone messages, hesitant plans to meet each other, all that jazz. This went on for about a year before I was 'dumped' for someone else. There was some drama as I tried to understand what had happened but I eventually just walked away from all if it. A part of me still mourns that lost relationship but it also taught me alot so in a way, I am thankful for it. Anything that teaches us something is never futile, though I am sure we could all go without the varaious levels of pain that come with said lesson. __________________ SLU Clubhouse - Open 24/7 Vist at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tan/138/25/25 All human actions have one or more of these 7 causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. ~Aristotle RadioRadio: Stupid Name, Great Music! DJ Vertigo Paris Friday 6 - 9 pm SLT

08-19-2008, 07:52 AM	#17 (permalink)
caroline ra Never trust a hippy MYOB Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Zummerzet Posts: 1,294 SL Join Date: Dec 2006	I tend not to get emotionally involved with ppl in SL (RL emotional involvements are complicated enough for me to deal with). I am totally wrapped up in my SL textures however and was devastated when they were 'lost' by SL recently...in fact way more distressed than I would have been had someone dumped me/cheated on me etc. http://www.psychtests.com/tests/iq/e...r2_access.html